The Future's Course
by Gemini Star01
Summary: (The sequal to Mysterious Child!) Someone's causing a paradox that sends Carie blinking in and out of reality. Now her little brother Hikaru must go to the past and fix it, before history changes forever. **COMPLETED!!!!!!**
1. Paradox

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Ah ha! By popular demand, I present this! The sequel…that's right, sequel…to Mysterious Child! In other words, you gotta go read that story (if you haven't already) to figure out what's going on here. The end of this chapter is a little scratchy, so just live with me. If you have any ideas, just tell me! I welcome them greatly!

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Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. However, the children (both of them!) and their partners (two too!) as well as any knew Digimon that appear belong to be. Don't use 'em, okay?

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The Future's Course

Chapter 1: Paradox

Hikaru scrambled forward across the grass, laughing wildly. "Can't catch me! Can't catch me!" he chanted.

"Oh, yes I can!" Carie tumbled after her little brother, giggling. "I'll get you, Hikaru!"

Kari smiled, watching her children chase after each other through the park. It was a family outing, which they did every week or so, just the four of them. T.K., her dear husband, was working on the picnic blanket in the shade of the tall tree she sat under. She was watching their kids as they played together. Next to her, the Digimon rolled around and played. Four of them now: Gatomon, Patamon, Gatamon, and a new one: Roarmon.

Roarmon was not Gatomon and Patamon's child. Actually, he was more of an adoption. He was a small white tiger with purple stripes and small white wings on his back. It'd been obvious he was Hikaru's partner eight years ago, when the child was born and Roarmon appeared out of no where with a white and purple D-3. But it was still rather curious about the whole thing…Back to the children.

Carie and Hikaru loved each other more than anything else, even though their personalities were so different. Carie, though fourteen, was always so laughing and care-free and almost never serious. Her hair had T.K.'s mess and Kari's color, while her eyes reflected her father's stunning blue. She acted more like a child than anything else. But maybe that could be expected, she'd never had much of a childhood in the first place.

Hikaru, on the other hand, seamed more eager to grow up. His hair was blonde, but smoother than his sister's, his eyes were the same stunning blue, and his cheeks held that rosy tint that made his mother so attractive. He was rather smart for a seven-year-old, with almost perfect diction (Carie, always running from one place to the other, hadn't learned all her vocabulary and such until she was nine or ten and still had trouble with words sometimes) and jumped at a chance to be grown-up. He was very serious and quiet amongst most people, but with his sister he could laugh and play like any other kid.

Kari smiled. Life had returned to normal, these last eight years. The first was mainly spent cleaning up the mess both worlds had been left in. Even in all that trouble, they still managed to have Hikaru. Carie had finally enrolled in a real school, Kari had taken up her teaching, and T.K. was free with his at-home novels to take care of their young son. After all this, they finally had a chance to be a normal, happy family…

"Kids!" T.K. shouted, "Lunch is ready! Come and get it!"

Hikaru looked up from his place, then raced back towards his sister. "Race ya, Carie!" he shouted, reaching her side.

"Alright, little bro." she grinned one of her silly, childish grins and took her place. "Ready? Set…Go!"

Hikaru raced forward at full speed. He was faster at a sprint, but Carie beat him on long runs. Sometimes she let him win just to make him laugh, or go into one of his angry little "You let me win!" pouts some kids are famous for.

But this time she didn't even make it to the end.

Hikaru turned slightly as he heard his sister gasping for breath. He only turned back, because his sister had a habit of faking a tired sickness to make him stop, gaining her a lead. But she was stumbling, suddenly pale, with stuttered breath.

"Carie?" he called. She stumbled forward and hit the ground, clutching her heart.

"Carie!" he scrambled to her side. "Mom! Dad! There's something wrong with Carie!"

Although it caused a panic every time it happened, the children's sicknesses were not unexpected. Both of them had, unfortunately, gotten their mother's weak immune system. It didn't matter what it was going around: the flu, a cold, pneumonia, tonsillitis… you name it, the caught it. Twice. But Carie, never learning the meaning of the words 'tact' or 'lying' was not the kind to hide her sickness or suffer in silence. And the fact that she had suddenly collapsed was terrifying.

Kari and T.K. were up and at their daughter's side in an instant. "Carie, honey, what's wrong?" Kari asked. "What's the matter?"

Tears were appearing in Carie's eyes. "It hurts…" she groaned. "Mom…It hurts!"

"We better get her to the hospital." T.K. urged his wife. "It can't be good when she collapses like this!"

Kari nodded, then suddenly she gasped. "Kari?" T.K. asked. "What's the matter?"

"I felt…" Kari whispered, clutching her daughter's hand. "Carie…I couldn't feel her for a second. It was like she just disappeared…just for a minute." she looked up at T.K. "Didn't you see it?"

T.K. shook his head. He hadn't seen anything. But he did know his daughter was sick, and she needed help.

He gathered her up. Although she had his height, Carie was remarkably light, weighing no more than about 120 pounds, simple for T.K.'s taunt basketball mussels to carry to the car, whispering the lullaby he used to put her to sleep with when she was younger.

Hikaru tugged at his mother's hand. "Mom?" he asked. "Carie is gonna be okay, right?"

Kari smiled at him, none too reassuringly. "Of course she will…" she told him, although she had no real idea. "She'll be perfectly fine…"

~ * ~ * ~

.

"Well?" Kari asked anxiously, squeezing Carie's hand on one side and Hikaru's on the other. Gatamon was curled next to her partner worriedly. "Is she okay?"

Joe slid his glasses up. "I…I don't know." he muttered. "I've never seen something like this before. She seams perfectly fine, but complains constantly of chest pain. But every now and then…well, it's hard to explain…"

"Maybe I can help, Joe."

The others looked up. Izzy was standing there, drenching wet. "It's raining." he muttered before anyone could ask.

"Izzy…how in the world did you know we were here?" T.K. asked.

"Gennai told me, believe it or not." Izzy muttered, setting up a silver and black laptop that replaced his old yellow one. "The old coot finally showed his face after all these years."

"I thought he was dead." Joe said in surprise

"Apparently not." Izzy pulled up an e-mail onto the laptop's screen. No one else could read what it said, but they recognized the timeline. But it was different. Instead of white on the marker that indicated their present time, it was pure black, stretching almost twenty years back.

"What the…" T.K. whispered.

"Why is it so dark, Izzy?" Kari asked. "It's…It's wrong…"

Izzy's face was dark. "It's the same thing that's hurting Carie." he muttered. "Someone from our time is damaging the timeline, causing a paradox so that Carie was never born…."

Kari looked down at her daughter, who was listening intently from the bed. She remembered it all, the past and Kari-mama. She remembered…

She wasn't there! She'd vanished! "Carie!" Kari gasped, and in a split second she was back, half-unconcious.

"See?" Izzy prompted. "She's flickering in and out of reality. If we don't get this problem fixed soon, she'll disappear altogether!"

"But if Carie doesn't exist…" Joe whispered. "Then…no one will beat Daemon, and we'll still be trapped!"

"Exactly, Joe." Izzy was dead serious. "So the one responsible for this must be a former Daemon supporter, gone back to prevent his 'master' from being defeated by Carie."

"What can we do?" Kari asked.

"Use the portal again." Izzy grinned. "Someone has to go back to the past, just about two years after Carie went the first time, find whatever's happening, then stop it. It's the only way, not just to save Carie, but to save everything!"

T.K. contemplated this for a moment, then stood. "Alright then." he said. "Patamon and I'll go."

"I don't think so, T.K." Izzy interrupted. "It's not that simple. See, if you go to the past, there's too much risk you'll make contact with your past self. We can't allow that to happen."

"But Izzy…" Joe protested. "Kari and T.K. made contact with their past selves when they defeated Daemon. Nothing happened then."

"They didn't actually _touch_ them though." Izzy pointed out. "Or get within a ten-foot radius. There's too much of a chance that if we had contact with a past or future counterpart, we'd change the future in ways we don't want too. It could be disastrous.

"The only thing we can do…" he continued, shutting the laptop. "Is find someone else…other than one of us…and send them. Which means it _has to be a child._"

"But who, Izzy?" Kari asked. "We can't trust someone else, and Carie's too weak. There's no one…"

This whole time, Hikaru had been sitting and thinking. He was at his father's side, completely quiet as he usually was among people. But now he stood, on the chair so the adults could see him. "_I'll_ go!" he exclaimed.

Kari jumped a foot, T.K. spun around, Izzy snapped his head up, and they all stared at the small boy. "You'll…You'll _what?!"_ Kari whispered in shock.

Hikaru was determined. "I'll go." he repeated. "I'll save Carie"

Kari looked dangerously like she was gonna faint. T.K.'s mouth seamed stuck in the open position, he couldn't figure out what to say. Joe sat down in a chair rather hard. Izzy was the only one who managed to keep his head.

"Hikaru." he said calmly. "Do you understand what you're volunteering for? It's very dangerous."

"I don't care." Hikaru muttered. "I know what's going on. Someone has to go. Carie's told me lots of stories. I understand. I'll go."

"No you will _not!_" Kari cried. She suddenly rose to her feet. "Hikaru, I don't even wanna _think_ what could happen to you! This creature could be dangerous! He could kill you! I can't let you go!"

"If you don't, neither of them can possibly survive!" Izzy protested. "Carie's got no more than a day left, maybe a few more, but only if we send someone _now_. Hikaru's the only choice!"

"Shut up, Izzy!" Kari snapped. "He's not your son!"

"Kari…" T.K. put a hand on her shoulder. "Izzy's right. We have no other choice now."

"But T.K.!"

"Listen, Kari." he turned her to face him, gripping both shoulders. "Would you rather take a risk to save Carie, or lose them both without ever knowing we had them?!"

Kari's head drooped. First looking at Hikaru, then at Carie, she finally nodded. "Alright then." Izzy stood, clapping his hands together. "Hikaru, my boy, you'll have to leave right away!"

Hikaru nodded. His mother crouched down and pulled him into a huge bear hug. "Be careful, sweetie." she whispered. "And take Roarmon with you, okay?"

"Of course!" Hikaru laughed as the little white and purple tiger flew up and landed on his head. "I'd never leave Roarmon behind!"

T.K. reached into his wallet and pulled out an old picture. Kneeling next to his son, he handed it too Hikaru. "This is an old pic of your mom and me, about the age you'll find us there." he explained. "That's who you have to look for, understand?"

Hikaru nodded. T.K., smiling, gave him a hug. "Good luck, son." he whispered so only they could hear. It always embarrassed the boy to have his father say he loved him.

"Thanks dad…" Hikaru whispered back.

After a handshake with Dr. Kido, Hikaru and Izzy turned to leave. That's when a weak voice came from the bed: "Hikaru."

He stopped and turned back. Carie was sitting up in bed. She was smiling at him. "You didn't think you could leave without saying goodbye, now did you?"

Taken slightly aback, he approached the bed. It was Carie's turn to give her dear little brother a hug, and as she did, she whispered something to him he didn't quite understand. 

"Remember, Hikaru." she told him. "You've got a wonderful chance to be a kid. Don't waste it trying to grow up too fast."

With a flicker, she disappeared, then returned again a moment later. "Don't worry, Carie." Hikaru muttered to her as he left. "I'll find a way save you. I promise."


	2. Hello, Goodbye

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I'm guess I didn't make it too clear, some people were confused…see, what I meant by 'Carie never exists' was that this agent in the past would do something to keep Kari and T.K. away from each other, like break them up or keep them from getting married before Daemon arrived, so that she was never even born. So they went into the future, but not far enough back that Carie would be there. You'll see the key point of why in a moment. Okay? Does that clear a few things up? Good.

I would like to issue a bit of a challenge to those of you who read the Sailor Moon Mangas. Kari-mama and T.K.-papa were taken ever so slightly from that…but the question is, where? I just wonder if anyone can guess…(Answer in the next Ch.)

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Disclaimer: This could mean that the whole balance of time and space will spin out of control and all will be lost…Or it could just mean I don't own Digimon. Either way.

(P.S.-Yes, Laur, I know exactly who you are. And there are probably 2000 other people in the world with your name. Don't be such a baby)

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The Future's Course

Chapter 2: Hello, Goodbye

Kari stood in the middle of Tokyo International Airport, trying not to cry. T.K. was avoiding her eyes, pulling a back pack over his shoulder. He was going to join his mom in England, where she'd gone for a short job. He'd stayed behind to get the apartment taken care of and everything arranged with the school board, but now he was flying up to join her. Matt had wanted to see his brother off, but he had to make up a big test, so only Kari was there.

"Are you guys gonna stay long?" Kari asked him.

"Just a year or so." T.K. muttered. "It's really kinda up to mom…"

Kari frowned. "I saw your schedule." she said. "You won't come back 'til after we've graduated…"

He turned to her. "Kari, listen…I promise I'll come back for Christmas, and maybe even a couple of times between then. And…" he picked up both her hands and kissed them. "I'll come back just for the prom, so we can go together, alright?"

Kari smiled, but you could see she was still on the verge of crying. And it was understandable. They'd been going out steadily and passionately for two years now, and since their little visitor two years ago, they both knew how perfectly they were destined for each other. This was going to be a real test of their relationship, and it made her nervous.

T.K. pulled a small black box out of his pocket. It was the hinged kind jewelry comes in, and tied with a golden ribbon. "For you." he said, holding it out to her. "A forget-me-not."

Kari took the small box and undid the ribbon. Lifting the lid and gazing inside, she gasped with pleased surprise.

Nestled in the black cushion was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. The band was pure white-silver, which she'd always thought oh so much more beautiful than gold. In the middle was a pure white gem, an opal, a symbol of hope, in the shape of a heart. Around it, in an alternating pattern of small, circular stones, were the purple amethyst, a symbol of sincerity, and the green emerald, symbol of love. They only knew this because last year's English teacher was a sucker for meaningful jewels.

In short, it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, just because it was from him.

"Oh T.K…" she gasped. "Thank you! Can I put it on?"

T.K. smiled gently. He knew she'd love it. He took her hand and the box at the same time, lifting the ring out. He slid it onto her finger, then looked deep into her eyes. "I love you, Kari-mama." he whispered.

"I love you too, T.K.-papa." she whispered back. Then, because the loudspeaker had just announced boarding for the flight to England, they shared one last kiss to last until they met again. Then T.K. slung his pack over his shoulder, and with one last wave, entered the long tunnel to the plane.

~ * ~ * ~

Kari was relatively gloomy, walking home from the airport that afternoon. The weather didn't improve her mood much. It was pouring down rain.

The whole thing looked like one big sheet of water, washing over the streets and practically drowning everything around. Kari had, fortunately, brought her umbrella, so she was semi-cozy under it's cover, despite her lack of soul mate, fingering the ring.

About half-way home, she stumbled apon a small boy and his pet cat, drenched to the bone. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, reminding her shockingly of a much younger T.K. The cat was small and white, with purple stripes. He was hidden under the boy's coat as he tried to cover the creature from the rain.

He looked up at the sudden stop in a steady flow of rain. Kari was holding her umbrella over him and smiling down gently. "Poor thing." she cooed. "You shouldn't be out in weather like this. You'll catch your death of cold."

He just kind of stared at her, remaining in his sitting position. "Where do you live?" she asked. "Is it near-by?"

The boy just shook his head, then looked down at a piece of paper clutched in the cat's paws. Kari had the sudden feeling of déjà vu. The boy gazed up at her again, with big blue eyes under his soaked wet hair. Then, with a stuttering voice, he whispered just one word:

"_M-Mom_."

~ * ~ * ~

"What do you mean, he's calling you mom?" Tai demanded. He glanced sideways at the little boy, Hikaru, wrapped in a blanket by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate in his hands. The white _winged_ cat, the one he called Roarmon, was curled next to him.

"Just what I said, Tai." Kari said. She was just as perturbed as her brother. "He's calling me his mother, just like Carie did…"

It was rather good luck that their parents were out for the weekend. The whole of the DigiDestined were there in the living room. Gathered in a semi-circle around the little boy, warming by the fire. Kari was holding the picture Hikaru had handed her. It was this picture that disturbed her most.

It was the same shot Carie had brought with her through the port two years ago. They'd taken it only a year earlier, at one of the picnics. Kari was hanging onto T.K.'s arm, and leaning on his shoulder, while a pleasantly red shade of blush crossed his cheeks. There were only two copies of this picture made: One that T.K. kept with him in his wallet, the other was in a frame in Kari's room.

"If he's really who he claims to be…" Sora got a mischievous look on her face. "Then he's Carie's brother!"

Kari's heart quivered. She'd always had a longingly soft spot in there for that little girl, her future daughter. She couldn't help thinking, even now, that if Hikaru was Carie's brother…If he really was…

"Carie's my big sister." Hikaru said calmly, and most were surprised at the child's diction.

"Big sister, is she?" Mimi giggled. "How old, now?"

"Fourteen." he whispered.

There was silence. Kari's head was already in the clouds. Fourteen… That sweet little girl, her baby…Fourteen…

Izzy cleared his throat and leaned down to see Hikaru better. "Hikaru." he said slowly. "There must be some reason you're here. It can't just be some little pleasure trip, by yourself, to this time. Why are you here?"

Hikaru was very quiet for a moment. "It's Carie." he finally said. "She's sick, real sick. Mr. Izumi called it a…a parydox. He said something's gone wrong back here, and I've gotta fix it."

"Parydox?" Davis asked.

"I think he means a _paradox_." Izzy corrected.

"What does that mean?" Kari asked. She'd gotten worried about Carie since Hikaru had opened his mouth. "What's happening to Carie?"

"A paradox…" Izzy explained. "Is an inconsistency in time. Someone is changing something in this time, to affect something in the future. In this case, it seams that this someone is affecting this time so that Carie is never born in the future…" He considered this deeply. "And from what happened before, I'd say that'd be a destruction of everything as we know it. So Hikaru must have been sent here to stop this…thing…from ruining the future. Am I right, Hikaru?"

Hikaru nodded, then looked down. "I don't know about the future and history and all that stuff." he whispered. "I just want Carie to be okay."

Kari had the sudden urge to hold him in her arms, but she restrained to simply stroking her hand through his hair. Mimi's eyes focused on her hand. "Kari!" she squeaked suddenly. "What's that on your finger?!"

Turning pink, Kari snapped her hand behind her back. But she'd caught the girl's interest, and even the boys were wondering what was going on. "Come on, Kari!" Yolei urged, pulling her hand out from behind her. "Let's see!"

She finally had to spread her fingers out to show the ring. Instantly, you could tell it was expensive. The boys started snickering to each other, Tai and Matt exchanged a knowing glance, and the girls went wild.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Mimi shrieked wildly.

"Did T.K. give you that?!" Sora cried.

Kari was to embarrassed by the big show to answer, but the blush across her cheek was a defiant 'yes'. "So!" Matt laughed. "That's what T.K.'s been saving for all year! He must've stayed inside all year!"

Kari turned a deeper shade of red. Hikaru closed his eyes and leaned against her arm. He sneezed once, then yawned and fell asleep.

"I think it's time we put little boy here to bed." Kari muttered, taking the chance to get away from the others. "But I'm worried about one thing…Tomorrow's a school day."

Everyone stopped. It was pretty obvious they hadn't thought about that either. "That's…right…isn't it?" Tai said slowly. "I…forgot about that part."

"What're we supposed to do with him during the day?" Kari looked the at little boy, falling asleep next to her. "It's not like I can take him to school."

"Well…" Izzy sighed. "I'm sure we'll figure something out…"

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Tell me…Is this bad? I am very not impressed with how this turned out. If you have any suggestions, just review, and I may rewrite it.


	3. England

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I know, I know…This is a little faster-paced then my other one. The last chapter was just to get it out. This time I've got a bit of a problem with how to piece all my ideas together…but I got that on the other fic too, and it turned out great! So…just wait, okay?

The answer to the question: In the Manga, Rini calls Bunny's parents Ikku-mama and Kenji-papa, the names Naoko Takeuchi calls her folks. I had no idea about Haruka-papa or Michiru-mama ('course, I've never read the whole thing, it's hard to find stuff out here). And I'm working on why Hikaru doesn't disappear…you just have to be patient about it.

Believe it or not, I didn't work quite so long on this one as usual. After an e-mail from Salamon2, I got to work on the next chapter of another story called The Grass Is Greener. Go read it, it's kinda cool, and has T.K. and Kari as Digimon…

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Disclaimer: _I don't own Digimon, I never have and I probably never will. Shucks._

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The Future's Course

Chapter 3: England

But for the first three days, nothing seamed to happen. Nothing unusual, that is. T.K. had been notified and rightly shocked, e-mailed daily, as promised, but nothing had happened to him either. Not a Digimon to be seen, save their partners. As for Hikaru and school…after several almost disastrous ideas (the back of the auditorium, in the computer lab with the Digimon, and sitting outside on the bench…) They finally decided to leave him hidden in the park across the street, as long as the Digimon stayed with him.

Kari gazed down at the blonde-haired boy in the sleeping bag beside her bed. Hikaru was a relatively light sleeper. It was curious, at least to her, the way he'd reacted. Carie had clung to her immediately, latching on and diving straight into her heart. Hikaru, on the other hand, was either more of a daddy's boy, or he just didn't really believe that she was his mother, but he wasn't as close to her as Carie had been.

_Strange…_ Kari wondered to herself. _In some ways…He's a bit like Carie. But in others, he's completely different…_

She stroked his hair a moment, giggling to herself. _He's Carie's little brother!…That makes him my second child with T.K……My second…Baby…_

With one last, contented sigh, she dropped off into a deep sleep.

In the dark of her sleep, she had a dream she'd been having often these past two years. A young man…T.K., older, but not the T.K. they'd seen in the future. He was only about a year or so older. They were sitting together on a soft couch, as usual, while a little girl sat in Kari's lap, laughing at everything. Six-year-old Carie, the way Kari remembered her. Something new, different than her dreams had been before. A little baby, nestled in T.K.'s arms, with blue eyes and a small tuff of blonde hair. Hikaru.

Kari always loved these dreams, because she knew they would come true. She'd be there, someday, with T.K. as her loving husband, Carie as her sweet daughter, and now Hikaru, as a darling baby boy.

But it all suddenly stopped. With a gust of wind, the little boy was gone from T.K.'s arms, and a loud crying filled the air. "T.K…" Kari gasped. "W-What's happening?!"

T.K. opened his mouth to answer her, but as he did he just sort've melted away, like a wax figure under intense heat. "T.K.!" Kari screamed as his flesh melted and bones crumbled. "Takeru!"

He vanished before her eyes. Kari was shocked. This wasn't supposed to happen! Not at all! This wasn't a dream, this was a nightmare!

With a forceful tug, the little girl in her arms was pulled away by a strange force, hidden in the darkness. "Momma!" she screamed, kicking against her captor. "Momma!"

"Carie!" Kari shouted, raising from the couch and trying to grasp her hand. "Carie, hold on! Carie!"

She stumbled forward and dropped to her hands and knees on the ground. Carie was gone. The couch was gone. There was sparse grass under her. A large slab of stone, covered with ivy, was in front of her. A tombstone.

For some reason, she wanted to see what it said. Something drove her to push away the ivy and read the name of who was buried there…

"Takeru…Takaishai?!" she read in horror. And the dates ended just in this year, her children, her family, her happy life with him gone without ever have started. "No…No!" she cried out horribly, clutching her head, "Oh god, no! This is a nightmare!"

Kari burst awake, drenched in a cold sweat. She gazed around the darkened room a moment before she realized, with relief, that it was just a dream.

Someone tugged at her hand. She looked down, into Hikaru's big blue eyes, serious and worried. "Bad dream, mom?" he asked.

"H-Hikaru…" Kari gasped. "I-I'm sorry…Did I wake you?"

Hikaru shook his head. "It's okay." he whispered. "You're worried about dad, aren't you?"

Kari's breath caught in her thought. "Am I that obvious?" she asked quietly. For a moment she forgot that she was talking to a child, but rather could see T.K.'s smile in those eyes of his.

Hikaru smiled, a rare thing for him. "You want me to stay here?" he asked, and settled down next to her. "I will, if you want."

Kari gave him a grateful smile, then put her head back on the pillow. They fell asleep together, Kari holding her son close.

~ * ~ * ~

T.K. walked back towards his apartment after school. It was odd to him, and his mind was busy as he crossed through the English streets, trying not to get hit. He'd had an odd dream the night before…

Coming home, in his dream, he'd found Kari crying in his room back in Japan. When he tried to ask her what was wrong, she didn't answer. She just kept crying. Then T.K. realized there was a body in the bed…completely wrapped in a sheet with the face covered.

He touched her shoulder and asked again. "What happened?! Kari, what's going on?"

Without looking at him, she sobbed out. "It's T.K.! He's dead!"

It was all rather disturbing. Although T.K. knew it was only a dream, he remembered that American President Abraham Lincoln had an almost identical dream three days before his death. So it lingered in his mind, and he resolved to call Kari the minute he got home.

There was a giggling voice from behind him as he tried to cut down a back alley. He took a deep breath and turned to face the red-haired girl standing there. "Hiya, T.K." she giggled, "Sure you don't wanna go see a movie or somethin' with me?"

He took a deep breath. "For the last time, Sara." he sighed. "I've already got a girlfriend."

The girl tried to saddle up to him, tried to take his hand. "But she's so far away…"

T.K. pulled back. "I said _no._" he insisted. "Now I've gotta get home…"

He turned to go. Karen suddenly grabbed his shoulder. "I tried to be nice about it, T.K." she growled, and her voice suddenly became deep. "Now I shall have to call the mistress."

"What are you…" T.K. turned to face the girl, but she had gone. In her place was a being that looked as though made of black goo. It struck him in the gut with a hard punch, one that sent him flying into the wall.

As he groaned, trying to right himself, the black creature threw its head back and let out a high-pitched shriek. T.K. struggled to his feet, leaning against the wall for support.

A purple figure suddenly grasped him by the collar, just as he was getting his breath back, and hoisted him to his feet, releasing once he could stand. He suddenly met a pair of hauntingly enchanting pale blue eyes, so deep they practically drilled into his soul.

"My my." a female voice hissed, and it was as alluring as Aphrodite. "So the brave little lad refuses the simple offer separation brings you? Then I'm afraid I'll have to be a bit more forceful…"

She…the figure, that is…took out a highly jeweled and decorated box. She opened the hinged lid, and there was a flash of black light…

The boy's body dropped to the ground limply and lay still.

~ * ~ * ~

Kari was restless. She'd been calling T.K.'s number in England ever since she got home from school. It was an expensive call, she knew that, but she just had to talk to him. The time now about 9:00 PM, which would make it somewhere around…well, about 6 AM in England, if her calculations were correct. But T.K. had sworn he had his own line, and it didn't bother him a bit to get an early-morning/late-night call, as long as it was from her.

She finally tried one more time. A very tired voice came over on the third ring: "Hello?"

"Ms. Takaishai?!" Kari gasped. "Oh gosh…I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No…No…" the woman sounded dizzy. "I haven't slept a wink all night…"

Kari started to get worried. Hikaru, who seamed to have some strange sort of sixth sense in these matters, looked up from his place on her bed and listened to her end of the conversation with interest.

"Ms. Takaishai…Nancy…" Kari corrected herself. "Is T.K. there at all?"

"I'm very sorry, Kari." Nancy whispered. "But T.K.'s been in a coma since last night."

Kari's whole body went numb and she nearly dropped the phone. "Kari? Somethin' wrong?" Tai asked.

"Mom?" Hikaru looked up at her.

"Kari?" Ms. Takaishai came back over. "Kari, honey, are you alright?"

"A…A coma?" Kari finally gasped. "What happened to him?"

Ms. Takaishai was very anxious and sleepy. "Someone found him like this in the middle of an alley…" she muttered. "They found his school ID at the hospital and called me. I was there all night, they made me leave an hour ago. No one has any idea what happened…"


	4. KaoNoshi

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*deep breath* AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!

My stupid computer did it AGAIN!!! It erased all the files off my disk…and this time it's the one with 98% of my stories on it! I managed to save The Grass is Greener, Ch. 3 (thank goodness…) But I LOST all I had done on this chapter, AND the start of my Ken fic, AND the start of my Devimon fic, AND this is the 3rd time I've had to re-write the beginning of Diamond in the Rough, Ch. 4!! CRI-MAN-NEE!!!

Yes, yes…in the last Chapter, I had to try about a dozen different names for that girl before I found the right one. When I changed it to Sara, I forgot to change it at the end to Karen. Sorry…

By the way…anyone know what Sylphymon is? Male or female? He or she? Which on is it?

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own this Rent-a-mallet, useful for relieving myself of stupid pieces of junk…

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The Future's Course

Chapter 4: Kao-Noshi

Kari told T.K.'s news to everyone the next afternoon. The others were shocked and amazed. But Kari was so depressed it was almost scary. And it was understandable: her boyfriend, the one she cared so much about, the boy who was her destiny, was curiously sick in a hospital thousands of miles away, and she couldn't even see him.

Now? The group of six…the five younger DigiDestined and Hikaru, that is…were trouncing through the woods of the Digital World. Izzy had quite rightly assumed that the sudden comma was none other than the work of Hikaru's mysterious paradox, and they were searching for some sort of clue on how to cure the future father.

They tromped through the woods in one big group, muttering to each other, telling jokes and laughing. Even Kari was starting to lighten up, just ever so little.

Hikaru suddenly stopped and glanced quickly into the trees. Kari stopped and looked back. "Somethin' wrong?" she asked.

"There's something over there." Hikaru whispered, pointing into the bushes.

Kari stopped too, and beckoned the others over. They leaned over Hikaru's shoulders to see into where he was pointing. "I don't see anything." Yolei muttered.

"It's out there." Hikaru was still talking in a low whisper. "There _is _something there…"

All of a sudden, Roarmon shouted, "Everyone get down!"

The group had learned that Roarmon rarely talked, and never yelled, so if he did shout like that, it was probably good to do what he said. They hit the ground as a blur zipped over them. All the lower branches dropped to the ground, sliced in an exact line, clean off by the sharpest sword.

"What…was…that?" Davis asked.

"Over there!" Hikaru was pointing behind them.

The blur, now clearly identified as a Musyamon, was preparing his sword for another attack. Veemon glanced back at his partner. "Davis?"

The boy nodded. There was a bit of a flash, then ExVeemon ran forward. "Vee Laser!" he shouted, firing his attack.

The Musyamon not only withstood the attack, but destroyed it completely, then slashed out with his sword. It was so strong that, one blow, ExVeemon went down and Veemon groaned in pain.

"Veemon!" Davis called, running for him.

"Watch it you two!" Ken called. Musyamon was heading for Davis and his partner.

Another flash, and Stingmon dove for his two friends, scooping them out of the way just in time. Davis noticed that the sword had given him a rather close hair cut and a few single hairs fell down.

"That…was…close…" Davis muttered. "Thanks, Stingmon…"

"No problem." the insectiod Digimon buzzed as he set them down.

Kari looked for their opponent and saw it first. "Stingmon, behind you!" she shouted, but Wormmon hit the ground.

Ankylomon suddenly ran up. He'd Digivolved while no one had noticed. "I'll keep 'em busy!" he called, "You figure out a plan!"

Cody left off a moment, then turned to the others. "What did he mean by that?"

"He means, this is no normal Musyamon!" Yolei insisted. "I say we DNA Digivolve, whattya say, Kari?!"

As Ankylomon wasn't gonna last much longer, Kari nodded. A flash, a blur, a mixed heartbeat, and voila…Sylphymon, the DNA Ultimate appeared in their midst, just as Ankylomon was thrown to the ground.

"You wanna fight?!" he/she yelled. "I'm ready for ya! Static Force!"

"Shogun Sword!" the Musyamon's blade sliced the attack, dispersing it instantly. The two Digimon ran straight towards each other and became locked in battle.

"I hope they can do this…" Kari muttered. "Sylphymon's the only chance we've got left."

"Not quiet." to the older one's surprise, Hikaru had stepped forward. "Sylphymon alone can't handle it, but I bet we can!"

He pulled a pale purple D3 out of his pocket. Roarmon leapt to the ground and ran forward. The light burst forth, and it happened…

"Roarmon, Digivolve to…Mezaramon!"

With a great roar, Mezaramon lunged forward. He was a huge white tiger with purple stripes and eyes, along with a pair of beautiful white wings. His teeth were sharp and his claws were even sharper.

"Tiger Strike!" he growled and a blast of purple energy burst from his mouth and struck Musyamon in the back. The Digimon cried out.

"Static Force!" Sylphymon shoved him off, and the evil Digimon went flying, then hit the ground hard. Brown dust flew into the air.

The kids cheered, at least until Kari noticed what was left. "L…Look at that!" she cried, pointing, and they all stared in amazement.

A black blob of unshaped goo seamed to be lifting itself from the place where Musyamon had hit. It looked to be forming a head behind white mask that looked, in full detail, like a Musyamon's face. But before they could do anything, it vanished into the trees.

"What in the name of heaven was that?" Yolei asked in a hushed whisper.

"I don't…know…"

~ * ~ * ~

The Kao-Noshi slid through the underbrush, hissing and whining to itself. Ahead of it, a box creaked open.

Bubbling with happiness…literally…the blob of black jelly a gray mask slid forward and vanished into the tiny opening of the box. The lid was shut.

"There there now…" Pandoramon whispered. "I saw everything that happened, the little meanies."

She set the box down and turned to the mirror hanging from a tree. Using a golden comb, she brushed out the long black hair that almost reached the ground and admired her own fine purple skin and black silk robes. Surely she was the most beautiful of all Digimon…

"Which reminds me…" she smiled, picking her box back up. "It's time to check in on our latest Noshi…"

She cracked the top of the box open again. Struggling this time, a black blob and white mask slivered out and stood up-right in a human form. The masked face was that of a handsome young man, but the serious nature of the glaring eyes did not suit him.

He looked sternly away from her. He couldn't speak, his voice was trapped inside that box. He couldn't run, his feet were bound wherever she sent him. At this point he was so weak it was hard to fight, but his mind was his and his alone.

"Defiant still, are you?" she growled at him, pulling a whip from her belt. "You think after a twice day's whippings you would've learned by now."

She struck out with her electric purple whip. It was special, because no normal weapons could harm her beloved Kao-Noshi. This was used for the disobedient servent, although she hadn't needed it before this boy.

It struck him on his right shoulder, leaving a red gash. He took it without complaint. This angered Pandoramon more. "So!" she snapped. "You think your will is stronger than my power?"

He whip cracked again, but this time the Kao-Noshi snatched it up. Pandoramon, unused to such ignorance, pulled at it roughly. Sparks flashed, and the Noshi would have screamed in pain if his voice had been in his throat. But no sound came until he released and fell back, hands bleeding.

Pandoramon loomed over him. "The wounds shall heal soon enough." she snapped, then spat in his face. "If you think you've won this, you are sadly mistaken. For such impudence, I shall _make sure_ you receive your proper punishment!"

~ * ~ * ~

"Any idea what that…that _thing_ was, Izzy?" Yolei asked after they gave their description of it.

"Black goo…and a white Noh mask that looked like Musyamon?" Izzy pondered for a moment. "Sounds like we're dealing with a Kao-Noshi…"

"A No-Face?" Cody translated.

"Yes, precisely!" Izzy nodded. "It reminds me of the Kao-Noshi demons in old legends. They were mysterious shadows that could transform into anything at will."

"Do you think this is what's causing the paradox?" Kari asked suddenly. "These Kao-Noshi…Do you think they're the ones who put T.K. in a coma?!"

Izzy once again thought before he spoke. "I do." he said finally. "But I don't think these Kao-Noshi can think for their own…"

"So they're just slaves, right?" Ken asked. "No conscience, no mind to fight?" 

"Exactly." Izzy nodded. "In fact, I don't think they even have lives of their own. But whoever's controlling them does…"

Hikaru felt his mother's worry next to him. He knew she was longing for her dearest, his future father, and her heart ached for him to be well again. Hikaru touched her hand and put his head in her lap, the way he thought Carie would have.

Kari smiled down at him, running her fingers through his hair. Such a sweet little boy. I guess in his mind he was comforting her, and he was, but in a few minutes he'd fallen asleep.

"I think it's time we headed home." she whispered, trying not to wake him. She bid the others farewell, then scooped Hikaru up gently and carried him home, Roarmon and Gatomon running along behind.


	5. Living Chains

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Now I've learned something: Don't finished the author babble until you know what the reviews for the last chapter ask and say.

And the Kao-Noshi aren't really Digimon. They're…well, something else…

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. However, if you're ever in this town, just ask someone for 'That Digimon Nutso' and you'll probably find me.

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The Future's Course

Chapter 5: Living Chains

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Where the heck am I? Kari whispered, and her voice echoed.

She was flying, or floating, rather, through the air, if you could call it that. It was tinted blue-green and heavy with moist vapors. She glanced down and saw nothing, above and saw nothing more.

"Oh! Now I understand!" Kari just smiled. "I'm dreaming…"

With a swift kick and a stroke through the air, she managed to control her flight and fly head-over heels into the mist. It wasn't so bad, she told herself, kinda nice to float like this…

What a sec…What was that noise?

She stopped in mid-air and listened carefully. It seamed to be weak groans, moans and gasps for breath. "What the…" she looked one way to the other. "Who's there?"

Finally deciding on which way to go, she swam/flew/floated as fast as she could, trying to make it to whoever was in so much pain. It took her a few minutes that seamed like hours, but she finally reached it and almost fell out of the sky.

"T.K.?!" she gasped, swimming for him. "Oh, god! T.K.!"

T.K. was strung up, like hanging from a wall. His arms seamed to be shackled above him, but you couldn't tell because of the chains surrounding every inch of his body, even his neck. Only his head was exposed, but it had slumped forward, limp and tired. The odd thing was, he was the same color as the walls and chains, and almost see-through.

At Kari's voice he opened his eyes, then looked up. "K-Ka-Kari…?" he croaked.

Kari was at his side in a second. "Oh, T.K…" she whispered. "What's wrong with you? Are you hurt…?"

T.K. tried to speak, but only a scraggly groan emerged. Kari noticed that one of the chains was tightened around his throat, wrenching his head back. She reached for it, but another chain whipped her hand away.

"Ow!" she cried as a red mark appeared.

"Kari…don't try it…" T.K. groaned. "The chains…they're alive…"

"Alive…?" Kari asked, horrified. "You mean…Oh lord…T.K., who did this to you? Why?"

T.K. gave a weak smile. "Disobedience." he groaned, but this was more of a laughing groan. "I'm the only one who doesn't listen to her. I guess she's not used to it…"

"Who's 'she'?" Kari asked.

"I'm not sure." he muttered. "The others in here just call he 'The Mistress' or 'The Spellcaster.' Either way, I have no idea…"

"Who're the others?" she asked again.

"Digimon, I guess…" he cocked his head down. "They're down there. They obey, they run around free. Or as free as this place gets."

"What is…Where are we?"

"I don't know…" T.K. moaned suddenly, one of the chains around his stomach had tightened. "I can't…can't remember…what happened…"

"Don't hurt yourself!" Kari cried, putting her hands on his shoulders.

His head lolled again, like a man under heat fever. Then he looked at her. She'd never seen him so weak…so helpless…It was something that struck her in the heart.

"I don't think I can fight it much longer, Kari." he groaned. "I haven't gotten a rest in almost three days……"

"You can't give up, T.K.!" Kari shook him. "We'll get you, I promise!"

"But…I'm so tired…" his head began to slump forward. "I need to…I've got to sleep…"

Kari grabbed him by the chin. She knew one thing that would wake him up, and as long as she could he'd still be there when they came for him, this time for real. She leaned towards him, and he felt the warm breath on his lips…

But only inches before they touched, something yanked her away. She knew what it was, she had to wake up now. But he didn't. "Wait!" he struggled to reach for her hand. "Kari, come back! Please!"

She called something to him, but he couldn't hear. A moment later, she'd disappeared into the mist.

T.K. stared for a moment, dumbstruck. Then he realized. "It…It was a dream…" he whispered, and the tears started forming in his eyes. "She wasn't here at all! Never…She wasn't here…We were so close…So close……"

Pandoramon lifted her hand from the top of the box with a grin. Letting that girl's dream in was risky, but it had done its work.

If she had managed to plant that kiss on his lips, it would have been ten times harder than before to control him. But to yank her…his happiness…away from him, just when it was so close in his grasp. To let him see and feel, but never, ever enjoy…That shattered him completely.

"Now…" she hissed. "That's over with. Father would be proud indeed…"

~ * ~ *~

Two days passed. Nothing was found, not a clue, not a sign, not even a stupid Kao-Noshi. After her dream, she was sure he was in trouble, and even more sure that he was in pain. This made her more desperate to get to him, to save him from whatever it was keeping him there.

The group of younger ones were once again exploring the woods. This time, looking for any sign of the Kao-Noshi. But so far there was nothing.

Yolei glanced back. "Kari?" she called. "You doin' okay?"

Kari wasn't listening. She seamed to be playing with Hikaru again. He would doge between her legs, run ahead, drop behind, roll on the ground, whatever, while she tried to catch him for a tickling.

Yolei smiled. That little boy had the strangest affect on her friend and all the others. No matter what mood they were in, he could always make them crack a smile. Carie had been the same. Maybe it was something that kids had. Maybe it was a Takaishai thing. Who knows one way or another, but it could brighten the cloudiest of days.

The was a rustle of trees and a blast of wind. Everyone halted. The Digimon bristled. Hikaru and Kari stopped playing, and all was still.

"Did…Did you guys feel that?" Cody whispered.

"Something's coming." Gatomon growled.

There was another gust, and this time a definite footstep. Turning swiftly, they saw a strange Digimon stepping out of the trees…and they'd never seen anything weirder.

Her skin was purple, shiny, like bright wrapping paper. She had an attractive face, with enchantingly pale blue eyes that would ensnare any man and long black hair that almost reached the ground. She was dressed head to toe in black silk robes, lined with purple satin lining. In one hand was a jeweled box, with a golden clasp, and on a belt was some strange type of purple whip.

"Greetings." she hissed in a voice as alluring as Eden's snake. "So nice to see you…"

"Who're you?!" Davis asked in a breath.

The Digimon grinned. "I am the Lady Pandoramon…" she said airily. "But you, child, can call me The Mistress…"

Kari remembered with a jolt the name from her dream. "The Mistress…" she whispered in shock.

She was about to yell at Pandoramon, but Hikaru stepped forward first. "Then it was you!" he shouted. "You're the one causing the paradox, and hurting my sister!"

Pandoramon seamed surprised at the outburst of the small boy, and leaned forward to see better. "You." she spat. "So it's you, you filthy little worm, ruining my plans…"

Kari stepped between Hikaru and Pandoramon, her maternal instincts raring up to keep the creature from harming her child. "What do you mean?!" Yolei snapped, "He's only a kid!"

"A 'kid' is he?!" the Digimon growled. "Do you know how much this 'kid' and his sister have done to me?! That little grub he calls a sister was the destruction of _my father!!!_"

"F-F-Father?!" Davis stuttered. "But you can't mean…"

"Yes!" you could practically see the fire in Pandoramon's eyes. "_Daemon_ was my father!"

There was silence for a moment. The only noise was rushing wind.

"So that's the reason…" Ken muttered. "Revenge…But T.K.'s out of commission. How is it that Hikaru doesn't vanish as well?"

"Because…" Pandoramon growled. "He's _here._ He's preventing the change from happening by changing it himself! If it had not been, he wouldn't be anymore alive than his pathetic sister!"

"Carie is not pathetic!" Hikaru shouted. "She's just hurt! And _I'm_ gonna save 'er!"

Kari put a hand on his head to calm him down, but she was shaking with rage herself as she stepped forward. "Where's T.K.?!" she demanded. "What have you done with him?!"

Pandoramon grinned. She'd been waiting for this, a good long time. She'd watched this cocky little girl during her father's battle. And she knew that this was an additional chance for revenge, to crush her spirit and shatter her heart.

"I'll tell you." she laughed to herself, and cracked open the box. "If…you defeat my dear Kao-Noshi…_completely._" 

The slimy black form seeped out of the box, and oozed into a puddle at her feet. It seamed to have come out face-first, because the mask was hidden as the black goo dripped slowly out of crack with repeated squelching sounds.

"Ew…" Yolei groaned. "That's disgusting…"

Pandoramon swept her hands through the goo and hoisted the form up, and as she did it took on a ghastly black shape. It had huge, blood-stained claws large enough to crush a watermelon, tattered wings that looked unfit for flight, and a demonic face. It stood as tall as Angemon or Angewomon, and glared at the kids blankly.

"I don't believe it…" Veemon whispered. "It's a…a Devimon!"

"Devimon, eh?" Cody muttered. "How appropriate…That to find T.K. we have to beat him…"

"That's correct!" Pandoramon laughed. "And I assure you, as my Noshi are twice as powerful as the usual creatures, that this battle is already won!"


	6. Broken Heart, Broken Mind

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I'm trying real hard right now to write my other fics…but I keep coming back to this one. I would've had the new Diamond In The Rough up by now, but my computer keeps deleting it…I guess you can count on this one being finished sooner that the others.

Er…I forgot to mention. I've never seen Spirited Away, although I wanted to, but there was an article about it in Anime Invasion magazine, and there were Kao-Noshi demons in Japanese legends.

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Disclaimer: I actually will own Digimon, as soon as I finish my greatest heist ever…Saint Tail, away!

(P.S.-I don't own the Saint Tail Manga either. I've never even read it)

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The Future's Course

Chapter 6: Broken Mind, Broken Heart

Within minutes, Paildramon and Sylphymon had DNA Digivolved, while Ankylomon and Mezaramon stood ready. The Devimon stared at them with black, unemotional eyes.

"Alright, my dear Noshi." Pandoramon hissed. "Attack!"

The Kao-Noshi, without a word, lunged forward. His claw hit the ground, while the Digimon jumped out of the way.

"Let's give it to 'em!" Paildramon called. "Desperado Blaster!"

For a blob of goo, the Kao-Noshi was remarkably well-skilled. It easily dodged every single bullet from Paildramon's blast, then fired an attack from his wings without a word.

"Strange…" Paildramon's Stingmon voice muttered. "That was an Evil Wing attack. But he didn't say a thing."

"Maybe the Kao-Noshi can't talk." Yolei put in.

"Tail Hammer!" Ankylomon attack missed and brought a tree crashing down.

"Maybe…" Ken muttered. He was thinking again, and his hand was on his chin. "But there's something else that's bothering me…Why would Pandoramon insist that we destroy the Kao-Noshi?"

"Tiger Strike!" roared Mezaramon. His attack struck the creature in the chest, then he dodged the massive claw as it came flying.

"It's probably because she doesn't think we'll ever be able to beat it." Cody said.

"Static Force!" Sylphymon's blast was blocked easily, and she/he was struck in the chest by the Evil Wing and thrown back.

"I doubt it." Ken looked up. "It looks like Pandoramon actually cares about these things. She wouldn't risk it, especially if she's as powerful as she says. There must be something more to it…"

"Desperado Blaster!" Paildramon tried again. This time the Kao-Noshi was knocked off his feet, but leapt back and soared over the battlefield. Obviously the holes in his wings didn't affect the flight much.

"At this point, I don't care." Kari muttered, and everyone stared at her. She seamed determined, but at the same time she looked so weak and pathetic. The stress wasn't wearing on her too well. "We have to beat him…to save T.K…"

"Tail Hammer!"

"Static Force!"

Hikaru looked closely at the Devimon fake as he leapt out of the way of Sylphymon's attack, then lunged forward at the DNA form. It was strange…But somehow he thought…somehow…that creature was familiar…

"Mezaramon!" he shouted. "Go for it!"

The tiger Digimon nodded, then lunged forward. "You got it, partner!" he growled. "Tiger _STRIKE!!_"

The fiery paw struck the fake Devimon in the face. There was a sickening _crack_ as something shattered, and the Noshi flew back and hit the ground painfully.

The DigiDestined cheered. "You got 'em!" Davis called, punching the air.

Pandoramon just smiled knowingly. This should've hinted them at something, but they were too busy enjoying it.

The Kao-Noshi sat up. It's face, just the illusion of a spell, was crumbling off from the force of the blow. The DigiDestined turned to face it again, then froze.

"What the…" Cody gasped.

"There's no way!" cried Davis.

"That's…That's impossible!" Ken shouted.

Kari's knees wavered, gave way, and she fell to the ground. Hikaru was sitting there in a shock.

"Oh god…It's T.K.!" Yolei whispered.

And it was true: The white porcelain noh mask was that of the kind young man. But at the same time it didn't quite look like him. His eyes, in the blank white, were no longer those shining, happy pools they once were. And his face was so serious, so sad, so very hopeless, it didn't fit him at all. But it was him.

"It's not true…" Kari whispered, then screamed as tears splashed down her cheeks. "It's not true! It's a trick!! T.K. would never…"

"Would he?" Pandoramon was gloating in her own world. "I think he would. After a full week's lashings, he finally saw to reason…"

"You mean…" Yolei left off.

"That's right!" gloated the Digimon. "My box is filled with the souls of victims! Those that I call out become my loyal Kao-Noshi! But that boy…" she motioned to the Kao-Noshi standing beside her. "He fought. He couldn't come along willingly. But now…Now his will is mine."

The Devimon remained unemotional, unfeeling, and still. Hikaru stared at him, dumbstruck and hypnotized. "Papa…" he whispered. "Is it really…It can't be you…"

"Go, my Noshi." Pandoramon laughed. "Attack!"

The Devimon lunged forward. The others, frozen in shock, could hardly defend themselves against their friend's soul, and soon six little Rookie Digimon lay on the ground.

Hikaru burred his eyes in Kari's shoulder, sobbing. He couldn't bear to watch his father do such horrible things to his friends and their partners. Kari hugged him close and stroked his hair sweetly and lovingly. "Quiet now." she whispered, caressing him in her arms. "Quiet…Sh…Sh…"

Pandoramon's eyes narrowed at the mother and child. Her black heart burned not with anger or hatred, but with jealousy. She was jealous of their love, their happiness. It was the real reason she wanted to destroy them, she wanted that love herself.

"Devimon." she growled. The Kao-Noshi that had been T.K. turned back to receive his orders. "The child. Bring me the child."

Kari heard the order and looked up in horror as the Noshi lunged forward, claws ready to snatch the boy out of her protective grasp. The stone face was still unemotional and unfeeling, even though he was about to bring this monster his own son…

No. That wasn't gonna happen…Not if she could get through to him…

"T.K.!" she shrieked, throwing her hands up. "STOP!"

The Noshi froze. Some how, some way, her voice had gotten through to him. Some how, he'd heard her pleas.

Pandoramon glared. "Devimon…" she growled. "Give…Me…The…Boy!"

But Devimon wasn't listening. He'd landed, and all of a sudden took Kari's hand. But not like he was trying to hold it, but like he was curious about it. One of his claws was examining the ring on her finger closely. It was like the Frankenstein monster, or someone under amnesia, trying to remember or figure something out.

Kari looked into his eyes, then smiled. "That's right…" she whispered, like talking to a baby. "That's the ring you gave me…In the airport, remember?" T.K.'s face was black as always. "Do you…remember? Anything?"

The Noshi slowly, very slowly, came to realization. He dropped her hand and looked at his own, shaking. His face, just a mask, remained unchanging, but his body was trembling in horror. If he had been able to speak, he would have probably been screaming _Oh god…What have I done?!_

Everyone watched, amazed, as the creature dropped back, away from the others. Then he hit the ground, and when he did he was back in the human-shaped Kao-Noshi, the mask still unchanging.

"Impossible!" Pandoramon cried. "H-He's broken my control!"

The Noshi pulled his knees up, and was sobbing in his mind, sobbing at his own weakness. Hikaru broke free of Kari's grasp and ran to his side.

The young boy's hand touched the Noshi's arm. The masked face looked up. "Dad." Hikaru whispered, then smiled gently. "I knew it was you."

The Noshi looked at him. Hikaru wrapped his arms around the creature, snuggling against him. Kari had been right, he was more of a daddy's boy, and loved his father dearly. With that odd sixth sense he had, he could feel, even in this strange form, even at this younger age, his loving father in there somewhere.

The Noshi gazed at the child a moment, then pulled the little boy into a hug. Kari's eyes light up. "T.K.…" she whispered. "He's back…He's back!"

Hikaru giggled to himself. "Papa…" he whispered, for once forgetting to be so very embarrassed.

Pandoramon was shaking with fury. "Why you…" she growled, and snatched up her box. "I'll teach you a lesson! Get back in the box!"

She opened the box. There was a terrible rush of wind, and the DigiDestined had to told onto trees, grass and each other to keep from being sucked in. Kari squinted out to see what became of her boyfriend and future son.

T.K.'s Kao-Noshi seamed to be covering Hikaru from the gust. He was pulled back, towards the opening in the box, and tried to let go of the boy. But when he was yanked back into the dark abyss, Hikaru disappeared with him, body, soul and all.

"Hikaru!" Kari shrieked, struggling forward against the wind. "T.K.!"

The last sound before the box was closed was a very faint _"Mama…!"_

The lid clicked shut. Pandoramon gave them a devilish grin. "See how lovely your life is now!" she taunted, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kari stared in horror where they had been as the others brushed themselves off. "I've lost them…" she whispered in shock. "T.K.…Hikaru…They're both gone…"

She swooned suddenly and slumped backwards. Davis caught her before she hit the ground, and soon they others were around her. "Is she hurt?" Yolei gasped.

"No." Ken sighed. "Just fainted."

Cody shook his head gently. "Now what?" he muttered. "What do we do now?"


	7. My Baby

__

The beginning to this chapter sucks…But I couldn't think of anything else.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. But I do own a full-time membership to 'Disney Haters Anonymous' for people over-coming what the Mickey Mouse company did to Season 4.

****

The Future's Course

Chapter 7: My Baby

"Dad…Dad…"

T.K. groaned slightly and opened his eyes. Hikaru was leaning over him, and smiled when he saw the older boy awake. "Dad!" he cheered. "You're back to normal!"

T.K. sat up. He wasn't completely back to 'normal'. He was in a spirit form, one that looked like his normal body, but was the transparent ghost-like shape he'd seen Kari in. Hikaru, however, didn't know the difference.

"Huh…Hikaru?" he asked, by way of introduction.

The smiling boy threw himself at his father for an expected hug. But when he hit what should have been the body, he fell right through and hit the ground. He rolled away and stared at his father in shock.

"Sorry, Hikaru." T.K. said gently. "I guess you can't touch me right now."

Hikaru groaned in disappointment, then perked up. "That's okay!" he said happily. "We can still be here, right? Until mom comes!"

T.K. smiled. This boy…he hadn't known him for more than half and hour, but he still had that wonderfully enchanting personality that Carie had, the one that pulled you in and just made you love 'em to pieces.

But before they could enjoy anything, Pandoramon stepped in.

One of her living chains zipped forward and grabbed T.K.'s hand. "Dad!" Hikaru cried, trying to figure out how to help.

Another grabbed T.K.'s other arm, and then his leg. T.K. groaned as he struggled to pull away, but nothing. Hikaru yanked at the chains, which he could touch somehow. "Let 'em go! Let 'em go!" he shouted loudly. "Let 'em go! Let 'em go!"

The chain he was holding, the one around T.K.'s leg, released suddenly and whipped back, striking the child in the forehead and knocking him limp. "Hikaru…" T.K. groaned as the chains yanked back and the boy hit the ground. "No…Leave him alone…"

With a resound _snap_ the chains jerked back, snapping into place on the wall, their prisoner gazing helplessly at the unconcious boy.

~ * ~ * ~

The next evening, the DigiDestined met to discus in Izzy's room.

They would have met the night before, but as soon as Kari had been revived from her fainting spell, she'd started to sob uncontrollably in a way she hadn't since Carie's kidnapping. She was like that the rest of the night, and, as they couldn't talk any sense into her whatsoever, they had to move it.

After a tryingly painful school day, they were back in Izzy's room and ready for the report.

"Alright then…" Izzy gazed around. With most of the older DigiDestined out at college, there was only Matt, Tai, Yolei, Cody, Davis, Ken and Kari there now. Izzy continued. "I've had a talk to talk with Gennai. His old legends confirmed a few things… and may have found a way to stop Pandoramon."

To this, Kari sat up at rigid attention. "Beat her…And get them both back?!" she asked. Izzy nodded. "How?!"

Izzy pulled out his lap top. It was a new one, silver and black rather than yellow and white, but still a pineapple. "He found this…" he turned it so the others could see what he'd brought up.

It was the picture of a stone cave drawing. There was a symbol that looked relatively like the top of Pandoramon's box. There was also a Kao-Noshi, easily recognizable, something that looked like a bright star, and a bottle-shape, all surrounded by Digicode.

"It's a little hard to understand…" Izzy pointed to the screen. "But it's an old story about the box. It's said to be filled with the souls of her victims. If it's a Digimon, the body disappears when the soul leaves, and the victim is 'dead' though Digimon are reborn, of course. But in a human…the body can _survive_ without a soul…"

"But it can't _function_…" Cody had got where this was going. "The body would seam to be in a coma…just like T.K.…"

"She stole his soul…?" Matt muttered. "He's trapped?"

"There's more." Izzy continued seriously. "Pandoramon can bring the soul out of the box in another form. The soul can't exist in its normal form, but in the other…the Kao-Noshi, as they're called…they're out of the box, but slaves to the owner."

"But T.K. wasn't!" Kari suddenly sat up. "He was back to himself at the end! They're not completely controlled!"

"But what about Hikaru?" Yolei asked. "She didn't take his soul…he just disappeared. Is he still…?"

"I don't know." Izzy admitted. "The best guess is that he's either still in the box, in some sort of shrunken form, or Pandoramon has taken him out. Either way, I don't know what'll happen…"

"Izzy." Ken said suddenly. "You said the souls couldn't be out of the box, except in Kao-Noshi form, right?" Izzy nodded. "Well then…What happens if we broke the box?"

Izzy sighed. "That would be a way to defeat Pandoramon once and for all." he admitted. "But the souls inside…the Digimon would simply be reborn over and over. But T.K.…"

He hesitated. He didn't want to say it, not with those two in the room. Matt had bags under his eyes from worrying about his little brother and of midterm exams, while Kari looked like she was starting to waste away from the longing. "What I mean is…"

"Spit it out, Izzy!" Kari snapped, and everybody jumped.

"I'm afraid that, without somewhere to go…" Izzy stuttered as fast as he could while still being gentle. "His soul would disappear, and he'd be…."

He didn't need to finish, and didn't get a chance, because Kari immediately dissolved into tears again. Tai ran his fingers through her hair as she sobbed into his shoulder. "She's been like this all day." he muttered to the others. "We better get those two back soon, or I don't know what she'll do."

"Is there a way?" Yolei asked. "I mean, to get T.K. If he's summoned out of the box and somehow we manage to get him away, the Kao-Noshi can't return to his body, can it? And if we got the box and broke it, he'd disappear. What's there left to do?"

"There is one thing more in the legends." Izzy stated, and everyone quieted, even Kari. He pointed to the screen. "See that bottle? Supposedly, with something like this, you could do it…But I never worked out where to find one or how to use it…"

_Beep…Beep…_

Izzy turned the computer around. "E-mail." he muttered. When he opened it, his eyes widened. "It's from Gennai."

Kari sat up. Everyone leaned forward as Izzy began muttering to himself, a wide grin slowly spreading across his face. "He's found it…He found it! He found the bottle! And…Oh dear…" his smile vanished and he spun the laptop around. "Everyone stand back!"

No sooner had they dropped back than there was a sudden blast of light from the laptop screen. A moment latter, there was Gennai.

"Gennai!" Tai gasped.

"At least he warned us this time…" Yolei muttered under her breath.

Gennai gave the group a nod, then turned back. "Izzy? Are you alright?"

In the ruckus and light, no one had noticed, but the computer had kicked back when Gennai came through and knocked Izzy's chair over backwards. He sat up. "I'm fine…" he muttered, standing to right his chair. "But jeez louise, Gennai, where the heck did you come from?!"

Gennai waited until he'd gotten back up, then began. "I was in Modem, a dark continent in the Digital World. It's clear on the other side, and I was on the very end. It's a very dangerous place, but it was worth it."

"That's why you kicked back like that?" Ken was confused.

"The farther you are in the Digital World, the harder you come into the Real World." Izzy explained. "Please continue, Gennai. You found it, right?"

"Indeed." Gennai smiled, reached into his sleeve, and pulled out a small, crystal bottle. It was shaped like the bottle from _I Dream of Genie _only with an odd diamond in the neck. It was ruby red and thick, but you could sill see through it, and closed with a round stopper. It hung from a golden chain.

"This bottle is very special." he said, although it went without saying as the kids grew close for a look. "It was buried in the back of a dark cave on Modem's coast line. Normally, we from Server are not allowed on Modem, but this was an emergency."

Kari picked the bottle up to look at it closely. "What's it do?" Tai asked.

"When inside Pandoramon's box, a soul is in a spirit form." Gennai said calmly. "If a living being can get inside the box with this bottle, the soul could pass into the bottle and be carried out into the living world, then replaced into his body."

Kari jolted up. "T.K.…?" she asked, breathless, and Gennai nodded. "Then I'll take it!"

No one argued with her. Gennai smiled. He knew she'd say that. Carefully, he handed Kari the bottle. "The spirit world inside the box is huge." he warned. "You might have to travel days to find him. And…this is very important…_You have to_ _leave the box open._ If you don't, you'll be trapped inside, possibly forever."

Kari nodded, taking the warning to heart as she slipped the golden chain around her neck. Ken turned to Gennai. "But if we have to leave the box open, that means we have to get it from Pandoramon, don't we? Does she ever let it out of her sight?"

"I'm not sure." Gennai admitted. "But there must be some time. You may have to steal it out of her hands. Either way, be careful. Especially you, Kari. We don't know what goes on in there."

Kari nodded, fingering the bottle around her neck.

~ * ~ * ~

"Hikaru…Hikaru!"

T.K. strained his head. It'd been a full day and night cycle, both outside and within the box. The chains weren't covering him the way they had been, only shackles on each wrist, but it was still strong enough to hold him up, with the arms above him. Hikaru still lay below him, unconcious.

T.K. wasn't worried about the chains, wasn't worried about the height, wasn't worried about anything that happened to him. All he cared about was the little boy below him, and what that monster was planning to do to him.

_Why was I so stupid?_ he scolded himself. _Why'd I drag him in here? I could've let go, then he'd be safe…_

But before he could continue, he heard footsteps. Craning his neck, he saw the gleaming purple figure approaching quickly. His eyes narrowed. "Pandoramon." he growled in disgust.

The purple creature said nothing, just reached the spot where he hung. She looked at him a moment, then turned to the unconcious figure at her feet. T.K. strained against his shackles. "You leave him alone!"

Pandoramon paid no attention. She lifted the child into her arms. From the inside of her robe she pulled an emerald green bottle, filled with a golden liquid. She unscrewed the top and poured it down his throat. Then she set him down and stepped away.

Almost immediately, Hikaru's eyes opened. They were clouded, and somehow darker. He sat up and looked around curiously.

"Hikaru…" T.K. whispered, trying to get his attention. The boy looked at him, but did nothing else. "Hikaru…It's me…I'm your…your dad…Don't you recognize me?"

A smile crept over Pandoramon's lips. "Hikaru, sweetie." she cooed, and the boy turned at the sound of her voice. "Come to mommy."

Hikaru smiled. He scrambled to his feet and ran into her open arms. She held him for a moment, then stood with him cuddled against her.

"Hikaru!" T.K. shouted, shocked. "What've you done to him?! Hikaru!"

Pandoramon turned back, grinning. "This sweet thing is mine, now." she hissed. "My magic will keep him alive, even after I dispose of you and your little baby-mama."

She turned and disappeared into the smoke, the child still held tight in her arms.

~ * ~ * ~

Kari barely stumbled through the whole school day. She kept reaching for the bottle hidden under her shirt, making sure it was still safe and sound. She barely paid attention to her classes and was on the edge of her seat.

At the end of the day, she had her stuff and was out of the door before the bell finished ringing. Five minutes later, the port was opened, and the whole group was in the Digital World.

"Gennai said Pandoramon was last seen around here." Ken explained in a low tone. "Hopefully we'll find her here."

Gatomon stuck her head through the bushes. "Hey, look at this!" she called, and they all looked through.

The clearing was covered with flowers and surrounded by a canopy of trees. There was a mirror hanging from one of the trunks, and a golden comb next to it, but nothing else. Nothing else but the decorative box that sat, cracked open, on the ground.

"I guess…This is it." Yolei whispered.

"But where's Pandoramon?" Cody asked out loud.

"No time." Kari approached the box, holding the bottle in her hand. "We've got a chance, we should take it." 

She knelt down by the box, then hesitated. Davis looked over her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Anyone know how to get inside?" she asked.

No one did. Finally, Ken suggested she just crack the box open. "It worked on T.K. and Hikaru." was his point, and everyone agreed.

Carefully, very carefully, she cracked the box open and gazed inside. For a split second, she could see a blue-green glow. Then, with a flash, she disappeared.


	8. Inside Pandora's Box

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I told you guys you didn't know the half of it. *evil laughter* I just love lots of strange twists and turns…ACK! Settle down!!! I'll get on with it! 

I do wish you guys would stop bugging me with all the 'why this' and 'why that' and 'answer your reviews' things. Not everyone does it, but it's my pet peeve. If I'm gonna answer your review, I'll answer your review. If I don't, nothing personal, I'm just busy. So please, give me ideas, but don't bug me about it.

Yes, Laura, this means you.

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Disclaimer: I don't, never have and more likely than not never will own Digimon. However, I do have more than a few tricks up my sleeves…but I ain't tellin' yet!

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The Future's Course

Chapter 8: Inside Pandora's Box

Once again, Kari was floating through the water-like, humid air. It was just like her dream, and just as easy to move through. For a second she was afraid that she couldn't breath, but then she realized it was all good and soared on her way.

"Wow…" she whispered to herself, and the voice echoed. She gazed down and saw the figures of Digimon running around below her, laughing and seemingly enjoying themselves.

She remembered T.K.'s words in the dream. _"They're down there. They obey. They run around free. Or as free as this place gets…"_

That should mean she was on just about the right level to find the two…But like Gennai said, it could take days. And this place had no leads, no trails, no nothing. How in the world was she ever gonna find them?

Then she heard a noise. It was weak and low, disappeared in a breath, but it was still enough.

She put a hand to her ear and listened again. This time it was definite: a low groan, like in her dream, coming from about the two o'clock direction. She knew that sound.

"Hang on, T.K.!" she called, switching to the front crawl to increase her speed. "I'm coming!"

~ * ~ * ~

"I'm getting worried now." Izzy muttered. He gazed in through the door of the hospital, where the two figures still lay in bed, Kari beside them. "He's taking a long time."

Carie had been fading in and out of consciousness the whole week Hikaru had been gone. When she was awake, her mind had been actively regressing. Her speech was becoming simpler and simpler, and she was entertained by the simplest things.

During her conscious times, Kari would play easy little games with her, told her favorite stories, and sang lullabies until she fell asleep again. Then the worried mother would go and sit by the bed of their other patient: Her husband.

About two days after Hikaru had left, T.K. had collapsed right outside the hospital. They'd moved him to the bed next to his daughter, and he hadn't stirred an eyelid since.

Also, his body was slowly dissolving from the feet up. It'd almost reached his knees by now. Izzy knew what was going on: T.K. had been put into a potentially deadly situation in the past, one in which he would have died, if Hikaru hadn't gone. If the boy failed, T.K. would disappear too.

Kari would sit by her husband's bed and just hold his hand, as though begging him to stay with her. She herself had developed dark rings around her eyes, and often fell asleep next to one of their beds, slumped in a chair or lying her head apon T.K.'s chest. She was exhausted. But what ever someone tried to pulled her away to take her home, she just shook them off, insisting to stay at their side.

"I know…" Tai muttered. He, Matt and Sora had joined them at the hospital today. "Hikaru better hurry…it may be too late."

Carie suddenly groaned loudly. Kari sat straight up and faced her daughter, eyes wild. "Carie?!" she gasped. "What's…?"

"Hi…Hikaru!" Carie cried out. "Hikaru! Hikaru, where are you?!"

The others were there in an instant. Joe glanced at one of the machines and sighed. "She's just dreaming."

Carie squirmed wildly, still crying for her brother. "Don't give up…Hikaru, don't give up…Please…"

Kari stroked her daughter's hair gently, cooing sweet comforts. After a moment, Carie calmed, and then her eyes opened. "Mama?" she groaned.

"What is it, sweetie?" Kari whispered.

"Where's Hikaru?" Kari's throat tightened. "Mama, where's my brother?"

"He's…He's…" the mother couldn't get it out.

Carie gripped her hand wildly. "Where's he gone?" she sobbed, bursting into big, wet tears. "I want Hikaru! I want my brother!"

Kari tried to calm her down as she cried until her sheets were soaked through. Matt turned to Izzy questionably. "You said she knew when Hikaru left, right?"

Izzy nodded. "Maybe her condition…the paradox, I mean…has caused some of her memories to become jumbled up. She can't make heads or tails of anything. And, at this point, her mind is at the same level as a six-year-old, just the perfect age to have a tantrum like that."

"How much longer will she be like this?" Sora asked, gazing worriedly at Kari and her niece, at the same time holding Matt's hand. "What do you think, Izzy?"

Izzy shook his head. "I don't know." he admitted. "It should reverse when Hikaru wins…but if he doesn't…"

"We'll never be here anyway." Tai muttered. "We'll be stuck in hunks of ice from that time on."

~ * ~ * ~

"T.K.!" Kari called, spotting him through the fog.

It wasn't exactly the same. He looked unconcious, but maybe he was just asleep. And the chains weren't everywhere around him, either. There were small shackles on each wrist, as well as a few chains that just seamed to appear and wrap around him: One each at elbow, knee and ankle, and more ready to appear.

"T.K.!" she called again, swimming towards him.

His head lifted at the sound of her voice. When he spotted her, his eyes widened. "Kari!" he gasped, straining against his chains. "Tell me this isn't just a dream!"

Tears were springing up in Kari's eyes from the happiness. "Not this time, T.K.-papa!" she reached for him. "Not this time!"

Her hand touched his cheek…and she went right through him.

Kari gaped in surprise, then pulled her hand back and stared at it. T.K. gave a weary smile. "Hikaru…couldn't touch me either…" he muttered.

"Hikaru?!" Kari gasped. She got so close to T.K.'s face that their noses would have touched, had he been in his body. "Where is he? What happened to him?"

"_She's_ got him." T.K. whispered guiltily. "Pandoramon…she took him."

Kari let out a stuttered breath and a short, choking sob. T.K. looked back up. "Get me out of here." he told her. "And we'll get him back, I promise. We'll get him back, just like we did Carie."

"How?" Kari moved to the chains. Placing both her feet on the wall and gripping one of the chains, she pulled as hard as she could. But to no avail, the chains gave no heed.

"It's no use." she muttered, dropping them with a sigh. "It's impossible."

T.K. glanced around. "There's gotta be something on the wall that throws it…" he thought hard. "I remember…she touched something on the wall under my arms, and it released before…So there's gotta be a way to throw them down there!"

Kari began feeling below the shackles. Nothing near the elbow, or closer to his body. But when she brushed the edge of the chains around his right wrist, the whole bunch fell off with a _clunk _and T.K. dropped through her to the ground.

"T.K.!" she gasped, leaping back so he could stand. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, sure." he muttered, stretching his arms out. "I've just been hanging there so long my arms went numb. But we can't think about that now." his eyes held the fiery determination he had when someone he loved was in trouble. "Right now, we've gotta get Hikaru back."

Kari nodded happily, and they hurried in the direction Pandoramon had taken the child when T.K. had seen them before.

~ * ~ * ~

Pandoramon tossed the golden ball to the little boy. Hikaru caught it, giggling at the beautiful trail of gold and silver stars that followed after, glittering on his arms and face before disappearing with a cool breeze.

"That's my darling!" she cried as he pitched it back. "My sweet baby…here it comes again!"

She threw it to him again and the stars sprinkled down. But it slipped from his hands and bounced away. "I'll get it!" he giggled, and ran after his toy.

He picked it up about twenty feet away from her. When he did, he could hear voices in the distance, calling through the fog: _"Hikaru…Hikaru…"_

He listened. They seamed familiar, and grew louder. "Hikaru…Hikaru, where are you?! Hikaru!"

The boy scooped up his ball and turned back to Pandoramon. "Mama?" he called. She knelt beside him. "Who's that calling me? Do I know them?"

Pandoramon looked up. She could hear the voices to, and would not let them ruin it for her. "No, honey." she whispered, scooping him into her arms. "You don't know them…you've never known them…just ignore their voices…Come now…"


	9. And The Last Thing Out Was Hope

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Sorry this one took so long guys. Just as a note: THIS IS NOT THE END. Not yet, okay? One more chapter…okay, epilogue. To tie a few loose strings, you know? So stick around!

Sigh…**Disclaimer: **I don't own Digimon, not now, not ever…

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Future's Course

Chapter 9: And The Last Thing Out Was Hope…

"Hush little baby, don't say a word…" Pandoramon sang sweetly to the sleeping child in her arms. "Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird…and if that mockingbird don't sing…Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring…and if that diamond ring turns brass… Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass…and if that looking glass gets broke…"

"Pandoramon!"

The Digimon looked up. Kari and T.K. landed in front of her. It was the spirit who had spoken, glaring viciously, the girl behind him, looking timid and angry at the same time.

"Well well well…" the Digimon laughed. "Seams the specter and his baby-mama managed to get free, did you?"

"Cut the chit-chat!" T.K. snapped angrily.

"Give Hikaru back!" Kari added in behind him.

Pandoramon grinned slyly and evilly. "What makes you think he's _yours_ to get back?" she hissed.

"He's _our son!_" Kari cried.

"Really?" Pandoramon laughed. "Perhaps you should ask him for yourself…" she shook the child awake gently. "Hikaru…Hikaru, honey…Sweetie…"

Kari covered her ears. "Stop it…don't call him that!" she shouted.

Hikaru stirred and looked up with dark, murky eyes. "What is it, mama?" he asked in a quiet voice. "What's going on?"

The moment he said it, Kari nearly fainted. "M-M-Mama?" she whispered in shock. "No…Hikaru…"

The little boy looked up and locked eyes with her. "Who're you?" he asked quietly. "Do I know you? What do you want?"

T.K. leaned forward. "We're…We're your parents…We're your mom and dad…"

"Hikaru…" Kari reached out for him. "Please…I'm your mother, not her. Please…"

Hikaru curled up closer to Pandoramon. "I have my mommy." he whispered. "Who are you? I've never seen you before in my life. Go away."

Kari wavered a moment as each of those words struck her in the heart. "How…" she whispered. "How…could you not…know us?"

She dropped to her knees, the tears flowing out. T.K. gazed helplessly at his future wife, his one true love, in such emotional pain. And in this spirit form, he couldn't comfort her, couldn't hold her, couldn't even touch her to ease her pain.

He glared viciously at Pandoramon, the creature tearing them apart. His eyes drifted longingly to the child held captive in his arms.

A glow of green on his wrist caught T.K.'s eye. One of the chains that had grabbed him had come loose, and now was wrapped around Hikaru's wrist. The chains that both of them could touch. That gave T.K. an idea.

Quite suddenly, he lunged forward so swiftly and quickly that even Pandoramon could not defend. He grabbed out, not for the child but for the chain around his wrist. With a yank, he pulled Hikaru away from the creature.

"No!" Pandoramon cried, reaching out for him. "Give him back!"

Hikaru struggled. "Lemmigo! Lemmigo! Lemmigo!" he yelled savagely.

"Sorry, kid, but it's for your own good." T.K. muttered, bringing him around to meet Kari. The girl understood instantly and gripped Hikaru in a tight hug.

Still the child fought. "Lemmigo! Lemmigo!" he cried. "Mama, make 'er leggo! Make 'er leggo!"

"Get your hands off him!" Pandoramon raged, striking forward with her whip. T.K. tried to defend his future family, but the whip was even more useful on spirits knocked him back and away. Pandoramon cracked her whip back and struck Kari full across the shoulders. The girl groaned as a wave of pain soared through her body, but she held tight.

"Stubborn, are you?" Pandoramon growled, pulling her whip back again.

This time, the purple beam hit Kari on the forehead. A gash opened and she was thrown back, just enough for Hikaru to break free. He ran forward and into Pandoramon's arms.

"There there, honey." the Digimon cooed. "Don't you worry. Mommy's here."

Kari pulled herself up with a groan. The blow above her right eye was bleeding and dripping down into her eyes, and as she rose a spasm of pain ran through from her back.

"Don't hurt yourself…It'll just get worse…" T.K. whispered, but she didn't listen.

Kari pulled herself to her hands and knees, reaching her hand out to the child. "Hikaru…" she whispered, getting his attention for just a moment. "Please, Hikaru… Don't you remember? About us? Your family? Don't you remember…Carie?"

Hikaru started. "C-Carie?" he asked, seaming confused.

Kari nodded, noticing the glimmer in his eyes. It was working! It was working! The mention of his sister had sparked something in the hypnotized boy. This would pull him out, she was sure!

Hikaru, at the same time, saw visions swim before his eyes. Laugher rang in his ears and her smile lingered in his mind:

_"I'm gonna get you, Hikaru!"_

"Okay, little bro!"

"You didn't think you'd leave without saying goodbye, now did ya?"

Hikaru closed his eyes a moment, and when he opened them, they were back to crystal clear blue. "Mom!" he cried, breaking free of Pandoramon's grasp and running to Kari.

Kari pulled her future son into a huge hug. "I'm sorry mama!" he sobbed. "I didn't mean to…I didn't mean to forget!"

"It's okay, son." T.K. assured him, knelling by Kari's side. "We understand."

Pandoramon burned with jealousy and anger. "You…You…" she growled. "You'll pay for this! I'll show you! I'll show you!"

She flew forward, over the small family. Kari covered Hikaru from any attack she might do, but she just flew upward. "Where's she going?" Kari asked the air as she vanished.

~ * ~ * ~

Outside the box, the others sat waiting. They didn't know what to do, and they were too uncertain to move the box. Cody sighed. "What's taking them so long?"

All of a sudden, the lid flung open. With a crash, Pandoramon burst out, flinging the kids to the ground. They scrambled back, but she didn't seam to notice them.

"I'll show you!" she raged. "I'll show you all! You won't…"

She stopped short. The box, flung open, was sending out loud wails, shrieks, and a white-and-green tornado. "No…No!" she screamed. "This…This is impossible!"

The DigiDestined clung to the ground, the trees and each other to keep from being blown away. "Where's T.K. and Kari?" Davis cried.

"They must still be inside!" Ken shouted.

"Oh…I hope they're alright!" Yolei groaned.

~ * ~ * ~

Inside the box, the spirits of the Digimon were rushing upward in one big wave. T.K. was struggling to keep his footing against the wind. "Dad, what's happening?!" Hikaru shouted over the storm.

"She…She must've…come outta the box…too fast or something!" T.K. groaned, gripping the ground. "The lid's opened…I…can't…hold…on…"

"T.K.!" Kari cried suddenly. She and Hikaru were not affected by the wind as badly as T.K. was. She pulled the bottle out from its place. "Get inside!"

"What?!" T.K. cried in shock.

Kari pulled the top off the bottle just as T.K. lost his footing. He went tumbling back into her. He had no knowledge of going into the bottle, it just…happened…

With a flash, T.K. was inside the bottle. Kari corked it, then scooped Hikaru into her arms. "Come on…We've gotta get outta here while there's still time!"

They ran, fighting against the wind to get to the fading line of light in the distance. A voice suddenly sounded. _"Kari! Where the heck am I?!"_

"T.K.?!" she cried in surprise, then had to steady Hikaru in her arms. "Is that you?"

_"What? You can hear me?!" _

Kari gasped for breath as she and their future son continued the run. "T.K., you're inside the bottle!"

__

"I'm what?!"

"Don't worry!" she shouted over the wind. "We'll get you back in your body, I promise!"

~ * ~ * ~

Outside the box, Pandoramon tired desperately to force the lid of the box back down through the tornado.

"No! No!" she raged. The DigiDestined shook with their voice, suddenly deep and horrible. "My souls! My souls! My beloved souls! Nooooooo!"

Yolei squinted through the light. "I can't see Kari or Hikaru!" she shouted. "We've gotta try and help!"

"Help?!" Davis cried. "I can hardly move right now!"

~ * ~ * ~

Inside, Kari pressed on. Hikaru had tried to run beside her, but that had just slowed them down, so she was carrying him now. He was clutching the bottle with T.K.'s spirit inside with both hands, even though it already hung around her neck.

"Just a little further…" she urged both the child and herself, keeping her eyes on the point of light. "Just a little…more…Just a little…"

The span of light was just a few meters away. It was so close…So close…She could see sunlight and grass and trees and flowers.…

It all vanished.

With a sickening click, it was all gone. Kari slide to a stop and stared wildly at it, shocked. "No…" she whispered, touching the gray-green wall. "No…It can't be…"

_"There!"_ Pandoramon's voice boomed from outside the box. _"There! I may have lost all my souls, but I have you! Trapped forever, do you hear you little brat?! FOREVER! My power will grow again, you wait and see! And I will be by my father's side in his rule, and we shall stay that way…perfect…for all time!"_

"No…"Kari whispered, pounding on the wall. "No! No no nonononono!!!"

_"Kari? What's going on?" _T.K. called. _"Kari, what happened?!"_

"We're trapped…" Kari whispered, pulling Hikaru close. "We can't get out…We're trapped…"

~ * ~ * ~

Pandoramon's laugh rang through the trees and bounced off the walls of the DigiDestined's brains. It was painful, horribly loud, and made you sick at heart. "NOW YOU SEE!" she laughed, turning to the DigiDestined still outside. "NOW YOU SEE THE FUTALITY OF YOUR STRUGGLE?! YOU SEE MY POWER!!"

She slashed her hand forward and Davis back. The goggle-head scrambled back away from hers, back to the others. "Now, father!" she cheered. "Rise up! Now, my Lord Daemon! We can rule! We will…"

She let out a scream of pain. Roarmon, the brave little thing, was biting her dioeciously on the hand holding the box. "Get off, you little pest!" Pandoramon raged. "Get _off_!"

She flung her hand back and forth. She shook so hard that she lost her grip on the box. It flew away from her and smashed against a tree.

A light burst forward from the shards of the box. Roarmon went flying and Pandoramon stared in horror. "No! No! No!" she cried as the light got brighter and brighter. "No! No! Nooo!"

The light grew brighter and brighter. Pandoramon aged rapidly, in seconds she was an old, wrinkled woman. Within moments of that, she had crumbled away all together.

The light vanished. The DigiDestined lay on the ground, stunned and dizzy. After a moment, Cody sat up. "Mhm…What happened?"

Davis groaned, lifting himself up. He spotted something lying by the tree, not moving. "Kari! Hikaru!"

The DigiDestined were on their feet in an instant and at the side of the two. Roarmon was longing rubbing against Hikaru's hand, which was the only thing Kari hadn't covered from the blast inside the box. 

"Kari…" Yolei whispered, shaking her friend. "Kari, Hikaru…come on, wake up…"

With a low groan, Kari stirred. Hikaru blinked and sat up, still holding the bottle, and looked around curiously. "Roarmon!" he exclaimed, scooping his partner up.

"Hikaru…" the small creature whispered, cuddling into him. "I was so worried!"

Kari sat up, holding her head, then groped for something around her neck. "The bottle…!" she gasped, searching desperately. "Where's the bottle?! Where's T.K.?!"

"I've got him, mom." Hikaru held out the small bottle. The chain had broken off Kari's neck, but he'd been holding it. Kari took it carefully, then kissed the boy on the forehead.

"You're still in one piece!" Davis exclaimed.

"Is T.K. really in there?" Ken asked, leaning down to see the bottle. There was something white and smoky, but he couldn't speak. It only worked inside the box.

Kari looked around. "But Pandoramon…" she looked around. "What happened to Pandoramon?"

The others shrugged, but there was nothing really to say. The shards of the box lay around them, and they were still in one piece. So who cared how it worked, as long as it worked.

"Well…" Davis sighed. "I guess we can head home now, huh?"

Kari gripped the bottle in her hands. "Not me." she muttered. "We've gotta get T.K. back in his body. I don't think he wants to live the rest of his life as a genie."


	10. Tying a Few Loose Ends

__

Well guys, here's the end. Hope you guys liked this! Thank you, every single person who ever reviewed either story! 

If you really like this, try a fic I've started called Digimon D-Force. It's got a bit of a future-DigiDestined twist like this, and I wanna know whether I should continue it or not. Gimme some ideas!

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Do you?

****

The Future's Course

Epilogue: Tying a Few Loose Ends

With a flash, Kari and Hikaru appeared in the stark-white hospital room in England. The sun was shining, it was about 2:30 PM by the clock on the wall. Kari groped for the light, and clicked it on when she found it.

The blonde-haired boy lay motionless in the bed. His eyes were closed and he was still in the disgruntled blue school uniform he'd been wearing the night he was found. Hikaru leaned forward, interested. "Dad?" he asked curiously.

"Quiet now." Kari held him back a moment.

Taking the cap off the bottle, she approached T.K.'s bedside, careful not to disturb any of the equipment around him. She paused a moment, looking lovingly at his face, then lifted the bottle to his lips and poured it in.

There was a beep form the computer. "Kari!" someone called.

She looked back. A DigiPort had opened, showing a transmission of Izzy and the younger DigiDestined, crowded around Izzy's laptop. "Guys!" she gasped. "Hey, what's up?"

"Something important." Izzy's eyes had a strange look to them. "It turns out there's something else you have to do to reconnect the spirit with his body."

"What?" Kari asked, leaning over the screen. "What is it?"

The others started snickering to each other, laughing to themselves. "Well… You've gotta give him a little of your energy to wake him up." Izzy explained, glaring at the others over his shoulders.

"So?" Kari looked at the others on-screen. Hikaru stuck his head up to see better. "What's so funny? How do I do it?"

Yolei burst out with the answer: "You gotta _kiss_ the boy, lover-girl!"

Kari froze, face turning a deep shade of red. "Kiss?" she asked slowly. "What is this, sleeping beauty?"

"Well, the mouth is the most vulnerable place to energy transfer." Izzy shrugged, pushing Yolei back out of the way. "And there's really not much problem, is there? I mean, he _is_ your boyfriend."

Kari, still red, glanced around at the boy, still lying still. Then she turned back. "If you're playing a trick on me, you'll be sorry!"

"Well, go on!" Yolei urged, leaning forward and pushing Izzy down out of view. "Plant one on him!"

Kari glanced around another moment, then spotted something useful. She disappeared from view, then re-appeared with an empty folder. This she set across the screen, so the others couldn't peak.

She heard a couple of them muffling an "Aw, man!" and trying to see around it as she reached her boyfriend's side.

"Hikaru, look away for a sec." she said, glancing back. "You're too young to see this."

Hikaru nodded and sat down in the corner, waiting. Kari took a deep breath. With no one watching, she had no problems with leaning down and kissing him gently, in fact relishing the long-sought-for feeling of his lips against hers.

As she pulled away from him, his eyes slowly opened. He groaned a moment, then gazed up sleepily. "Hey Kari-mama." he whispered.

Kari's eyes lit up. "T.K.…You're alright!"

"Yea, dad!" Hikaru exclaimed, running forward. "How do you feel? Back in one piece?"

T.K. sat up and rubbed his head wearily. "Yeah, I think I'm back to normal." then he smiled down at the young boy, scooping him up. "Come 'er you little squirt."

He swept Hikaru up onto the bed and tickled him under the ribs. The little boy laughed and giggled and squirmed until he managed to wriggle away and scramble to the floor, still laughing.

The door opened suddenly. The group looked up, at the two surprised faces that had entered the room. "My god…T.K.!"

T.K. grinned, looking up through his bangs. "Hey mom." he shrugged. "Long time no see."

Nancy stared at him a moment, then let out a stuttering sob and flew at her son, pulling him into a hug so tight he could hardly breath. "Oh, my boy…" she was sobbing over and over, switching back and forth from English to Japanese as she did. "My baby… My little boy…"

The nurse, quite wisely, took a few steps back out the door and then ran for a doctor.

"Mom…" T.K. groaned, good-naturedly embarrassed. "I'm okay…Really…Not in front of Kari…"

That brought Ms. Takaishai around. She released her son, turning to Kari and Hikaru. "Kari dear…" she whispered. "How in the _world_ did you get here?!"

"It's a…long story…" Kari muttered sheepishly.

"Yeah, long story…" Hikaru giggled nervously.

Nancy looked down in curiosity. "Who's this little one?" she asked, leaning down for a closer look. "He reminds me of you, T.K.…"

T.K. and Kari both laughed nervously. "Really? Well how about that…" Kari giggled, hiding behind a blush and pulling Hikaru back a bit. "This is my…cousin! Yeah, my cousin, Hikaru…T.K. met him before you left, and he took a liking to him!"

Hikaru, at the same time, was smiling serenely and trying not to look as nervous as he was. Because of the…well, _incidents_ with Daemon in his own time, he'd never had a chance to meet either of his own grandmothers or grandfathers. (As a matter of interest, the only DigiDestined family members to make it through Daemon's reign in one piece were Cody's mother, Izzy's father, both of Mimi's parents, Jim, Jun, and Yolei's eldest sister, Naomi. Mr. Motamiya actually lived through it, but he lost an arm in the process)

"Oh." Ms. Takaishai nodded. "I see.…but that still doesn't explain how you got here."

Before anyone could answer, the computer started flashing and beeping, bright blue light shining out from behind the folder. Everyone stared, then Hikaru grinned. "That's my signal to come home." he explained, rising. "We gotta go now…bye!"

He scooped Roarmon up and gave Kari a kiss on the cheek before running back to the computer. When he lifted the folder away the light was blinding, and when it cleared they were both gone.

~ * ~ * ~

"Well well well." Cosmosmon laughed, gazing down through the portal in her staff. "Looks like they didn't need my help this time after all, eh, Azulongmon?"

The unclassified Mega Digimon sighed, curling his tail around them both. "I concede, Cosmosmon." he admitted. "You were right. Those kids can take care of themselves."

Time's eternal guardian laughed, leaning back against the keeper of hope and light. "And to think, big, powerful Pandoramon beaten by sweet little Roarmon. He's a quick thinker, he is."

"Gets it from his father, of course." Azulongmon said, a deep laugh crossing his voice. "His mother lives too far in the past…"

"Oh, really?" Cosmosmon sat up and punched him playfully. "And where do you think he figured out that to defeat Pandoramon you have to destroy the box? It was his hidden knowledge of time and history, which you _know_ he got from me."

The dragon guardian laughed and the two were in silence for a moment. Then, rubbing her head against him affectionately, Cosmosmon spoke again. "It's nice to see our boy growing up, isn't it Azu-papa?"

Azulongmon smiled. Neither had ever been able to explain, at least satisfactorily, the birth of that little cat. And, only being able to get together twice a year or so, they'd decided that he needed a human partner…to take care of, and to take care of him. And it wasn't by coincidence that Hikaru had been the one. A child of Hope and Light…the power of those two could be unimaginable.

"It is nice." he sighed. "Very nice indeed."

~ * ~ * ~

There was a flash through the hospital's registered DigiPort. The nurse manning it turned back in surprise. No one was supposed to come through at this time of day!

A little blonde-haired boy and a small white Digimon sat sprawled on the ground below the port. The nurse recognized him immediately. "Why…You're the Takaishai boy!" she gasped. "Dr. Kido! Hikaru's back!"

But before the blue-haired doctor could respond, Hikaru was on his feet and running for the room he'd left. "Mom! Dad!"

Kari stepped out, dropped to her knees and pulled her son into a hug. "Hikaru… You did it!" she whispered, stroking his hair lovingly. "Oh Hikaru…"

Her husband, finally awake after all this time, appeared in the doorway. "Dad!" Hikaru cried happily, breaking away from his mother and wrapping his arms around his father.

"Hikaru…" T.K. whispered, smiling broadly. "We're so proud of you, son!"

"Hikaru…"

The father and son separated at the familiar voice. Carie was sitting up in her bed, smiling warmly at her little brother. Hikaru bubbled with a rare happiness. "Big sister!" he cheered, running to her for a hug.

Carie gripped her little brother lovingly. Gatamon and Roarmon rubbed against each other. "You did it…" Carie whispered. "Thank you, Hikaru…You saved me…"

"Anytime, Carie." Hikaru whispered, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "Now we'll be together…Forever and ever…"


End file.
